Chicago police, CeaseFire joining forces

'Violence interrupters' will mediate conflicts in neighborhoods where shootings have spiked

ABC7 Chicago

CHICAGO — The Chicago Police Department and CeaseFire are joining forces in a new initiative to fight crime, bringing in a force of "violence interrupters" to mediate conflicts in neighborhoods where shootings have spiked.

The initiative will concentrate on two police districts: One on Chicago's West Side, the other on the South Side. CeaseFire has received state money in the past but never direct city support. Earlier this month, Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy suggested the group may undermine his officers' credibility in the community.

The mayor is of a different mind and the CeaseFire partnership with police is his latest attempt to stop the killing. CeaseFire has had significant success, but police have kept the group and its former felons at arm's length — until now.